No hyperbole needed, this has hands-down been one of the most entertaining threads I've come across in a long while. To be fair, I concede that I know nothing of Avantair beyond the fact we shared a layover hotel with them in PIE.
Certainly neutral in the conflict, I'm bothered by some aspects, however.
First among them, what difference does it make if dirty company laundry is aired in public as opposed to a controlled, sterile environment like a company board? What are you Avantair types so afraid of in grievances being made known in the open? Does the company (or more importantly, you yourselves?) really stand to suffer so much from the disclosures of one former employee? Red flag number one.
I believe it soundly proven that this level of anger-driven defense of an operator by flight crews is totally without precedent. What is this, The Firm? Are no outsiders privy to make-or-break, critical problems that might better help them make a future decision? It sounds to me that all of his complaints were directed toward the management of Avantair, not the pilot group itself (although one would wonder with the kind of unorthodox defenses against them errected by some here). Are all who leave and become publically critical of the operation due the same flavor of internet gang-rape?
It does strike me as a bit terrifying so many have made this such an issue. I know nothing about whatever sordid history this BTDI character may have had surrounding his departure, but the virulent crucifixion (character assassination, disclosure of BTDI's initials and last name, etc.) he has suffered is inexcusably unprofessional.
It seems more like he's left a gang of cultists on less-than-friendly terms judging from the general "this guy is instantly familiar, he didn't exactly fit-in/we know full well who this guy is, and he was a complete f*ck up" attitudes permeating this exchange.
Nobody likes complainers, most love their jobs and do them well in this industry....however, to go to such extraordinary lengths to defend the failings of any company in any economic climate so that you destroy the character of a collegue (given the docile extent of his failings--this guy dosen't strike me as anything so insidious as say, a scab*) for even daring to give a rough estimation of the pros and cons of Avantair markedly defies belief.
It would have been sufficient to simply refute this guy's claims, people. The creepy, slavish promotion of management coupled with stomping BTDI was thoroughly uncalled for.
The whole business was an entertaining read, be it darkly so.
*Without question the greatest crime in professional aviation, and one deserving of such smear campaigns.